Denver Nuggets ousted LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs for the second straight season. LBJ did everything in his power to save the Lakers’ season in the first round, putting up 27.8 points, 8.8 assists, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1 block per game in the series. Despite such numbers, there have been speculations about the 21-season veteran calling it a day after another short and disappointing postseason stint. However, Shams Charania has come up with a bombshell update that suggests otherwise.
As per Charania’s sources, LBJ is expected to play till the 2025-26 season. In a more intriguing twist, the Lakeshow can pick the 39-year-old’s eldest son, Bronny James, in the 2024 NBA Draft. Thus, a LeBron-Bronny pairing is on the cards in LA. On his Run It Back podcast, The Athletic reporter spoke about the future of James after the first-round exit against the Nuggets.
“I’m told that LeBron [James] is expected to play up to 2 more NBA seasons. He just finished year 21, he’s gonna play at least 23,” Charania told his co-hosts.
He also revealed that the Lakers are willing to pay the veteran forward “as much as he wants”. LBJ has a player option for the 2024-25 season. However, he is expected to opt out of the second year of his extension which promises him $51.4 million. Considering that the deadline for the extension is 29 June and the 2024 NBA Draft is on 27 June, the 30-year-old NBA insider found the timing intriguing.
“It’s right before the free agency and right after the draft, what’s potentially on draft night, his son Bronny James. In a perfect world, the Lakers have LeBron James back and potentially they draft Bronny. I’m told they are interested in picking him in the draft in June,” added Charania.
These statements indicate that NBA fans might have the rare chance to witness a father-son duo in the league. In this wake, an examination of LBJ’s comments after the Nuggets loss can also give hints about his future.
Will LeBron James pair up with his son?
During the post-game conference after Nuggets loss, the Lakers superstar didn’t make it clear whether he will return for the next season or not. In his “initial” thoughts, he anticipated returning to his family and witnessing the growth of his kids. Apart from that, he also touched upon the USA Basketball Men’s Team basketball camp in Las Vegas ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. When asked about the possibility of playing with his son Bronny James, the All-Time Leading Scorer didn’t give a clear answer.
“I don’t know, I haven’t given it much thought lately. I thought about it in the past but at the end of the day, the kid has to do what he wants to do,” James replied
While this was a vague answer, it is in line with what Charania conveyed during his Run It Back pod. The NBA legend had admitted that he has “accomplished everything” that he’s wanted to do. So, forming a memorable duo with his son may not be out of the question. A lot will hinge on how the Lakers approach the 2024 NBA Draft.
